NEW Chicken owner! Need advice please!

[fezlet]

So I rescued a chick from a cat about 4 weeks ago. He's doing pretty well, and I got him some sweet little friends. One passed away unfortunately but I think I have their problems worked out (cocci AND worms). He's a roo, and my EE is a pullet. They're now about 6 or so weeks old and my roo will scratch through the chick starter I lay out and just pick out all the big pellet looking pieces and snub his nose at the rest of it. I'm tired of having to buy a 5lb bag every two days because he's picky. I've tried all different kinds of chick feed. MannaPro, Purina, and DuMor and the only kind they want to even touch is this mystery feed that I get in a brown sack at a feed store. Is there any kind of bigger feed I can give that is still nutritious to their growing bodies that they can eat to their heart's content?

 

[galanie]

They are much too spoiled. Give them some food and leave it there. They will eat when hungry. 5 lbs every two days for 2 chicks is WAY WAY WAY too much food to be wasting.

 

[Southernbelle]

Chickens will dig and scratch through their food, they just do. Whenever I find my chicks are wasting too much food, I change feeders, not food. Are you using a chick feeder, or just a bowl?

 

[Animalian]

you probably need a bowl that they need to put their head in
http://www.fleetfarm.com/images/products/small/0000000003644.jpg

or with bars so they can't 'flick' the food.
http://www.acornplants.co.uk/img/yellowchickfeeder.jpg

The second style works well when they're older too

 

[BigRedNZ]

I'm a newbie, and a bowl was a waste of time. I got something called a chookateria and it's fantastic, feeds 4-6 birds at a time easy. No pests, no sparrows and minimal scratch waste. Highly recommend it.

 

[fezlet]

Quote:
I went and bought the first feeder in your link a few days ago and he still pulls it all out with his beak looking for big pieces.

I'll try to get the second one later today and see if it helps! Right now what is working better for not wasting than the first round feeder with holes is rolling down the sides of the sack and shoving it in there. WAY less wasted food.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

 

[OwensMom]

Why don't you try giving him pellets instead of crumbles? Sounds like he wants bigger pieces of food not different choices of brands. Most feed comes either in pellett form or crumbles so what you are feeding should come in pellets. And buy the best quality that you can afford. I agree with galanie. They are spoiled and if they are hungry they will eat any feed that you give them. Also try raising the feeder to the height of their shoulders. That should help some.

 

[NovaAman]

I put mine on a small brick so they wouldn't make such a mess. Since he's being a picky little booger, he's got you trained. LOL. Try putting the feeder in a plant plate, you know those little plastic plates you put under your indoor pots? well, get a large enough one, put the feeder in the center on a little brick... That way you can take the mess they make, and re-use it, or add a bit of water to it to make a mash and feed it to them. They will LOVE that. At 6 weeks, I'd keep them on the chick starter for a few more weeks, then switch em to grower finisher in pellet form.